A Sinner’s Saint (De Bellis Crime Family #4)

Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-Six

January – Paris

I cannot believe I’m actually here. I’m standing in front of the Eiffel Tower with Vin. Who has been acting a little off since we landed in Paris yesterday. And when I say Vin De Bellis is acting off, I mean worse than normal.

I don’t know what’s wrong with him. Every time I’ve asked him about it, he’s says he’s fine or the jetlag is getting to him. I don’t buy it. Vin runs on very limited sleep. I don’t see him being all that bothered by the time zone change.

I was so excited when we landed yesterday I could barely sleep last night. Well, that and the fact that Vin was across the hall. He rented a two-bedroom apartment for us. And insisted on us sleeping in separate beds.

It hurts, knowing he’s so close and not being able to touch him. To not be able to sleep curled up next to him. It hurts more knowing how much he’s fighting to keep us in the friend zone. I’m not going to push myself on him, though. Whatever demons he’s fighting have already caused me more pain than I ever thought possible.

I’ll wait. I have faith that he will beat those demons. I’m just not sure how much of my heart will actually be leftover when he finally does.

“Vin, hold my hand,” I tell him, and I can hear the excitement in my own voice. “We’re at the Eiffel Tower. I can’t believe we’re here.” Thankfully, Vin does take hold of my hand. I look over to him and he’s staring at me. “Are you not impressed? It’s stunning.” I lift our joined palms while gesturing to the structure in front of us.

“It is,” he agrees with a smile. “You look really happy.”

“I’m at the most iconic, romantic place in the world with my favourite person in the world . What’s not to be happy about, Vin?” I ask him.

“Favourite person, huh?”

I roll my eyes and tug on his hand. “Don’t play stupid. It’s not a good look on you. Now, come on. I want to get closer.”

As soon as we’re practically under the tower—which took ages, mind you—I turn to Vin and take a deep breath.

“I want you to kiss me like they do in the movies. Pretend you’ve just proposed, and I said yes,” I tell him.

Vin doesn’t disappoint. “She said yes!” he calls out loudly, and as onlookers cheer and clap, he wraps his arms around my waist and lifts my feet off the ground. His lips slam down on mine and he spins us around in a circle.

Just like they do in the movies…

Everything fades away, the noises, the crowd. It vanishes and all I’m left with is Vin. His arms around me and his tongue dancing with mine. This is what dreams are made of.

By the time he sets me back on my feet, I’m dizzy. My arms don’t want to unwrap themselves from around his neck. “I don’t want to let go, because I know when I do, we go back to… not this. Not us,” I whisper. And a tear escapes, running down my cheek.

“As much as I don’t want to, we have to, Cammi,” Vin says.

I drop my arms and take a step back, forcing a smile on my face because I’m not going to let my own sadness bring this trip down. “I think champagne and cheese sounds really good right now. Let’s find somewhere to eat.”

“You okay?” Vin asks, falling into step next to me.

“Mhmm, I’m good. I’m in Paris. Nothing is going to ruin this opportunity,” I tell him.

“Okay, food and then the Louvre?”

“Sounds like a great plan.”

We find the cutest little café that overlooks one of the main streets. It’s a great place to people watch. I really do love this city.

“I think I could live here,” I tell Vin after biting into a chunk of cheese that makes my mouth water. “The food here is amazing.”

“It is,” he agrees. “You could easily get into a school here if you wanted to.”

“I think I’ll see how Sydney works out. I like living with my aunt. And I’m getting used to the city,” I tell him.

“Would you ever move back to Melbourne?” Vin asks.

“If I had a reason to, I would in a heartbeat.” We both know I’m talking about him. “I have an idea.”

“What?”

“What if, just for this week, we evoke the friends with benefits program?” It’s been a really long time since I’ve been touched, since I’ve had an orgasm. I don’t know if Vin has spent the same amount of time celibate, but I don’t think he’s been with anyone else either.

“Friends with benefits. What kind of benefits are we talking here, Cammi?” Vin aims a questioning brow in my direction.

“The orgasm kind,” I whisper. “It’s been a really long time for me, Vin, and there’s only so much a girl can do for herself.”

“Just so we’re clear, it’s been just as long for me,” he states. “I don’t want to lose the friendship we have, Cammi. I can’t risk losing you completely.”

“That’s never going to happen. I promise,” I tell him. “I get it. I know that when we go home, you’ll be in Melbourne and I’ll still be in Sydney. And we will go back to being friends without benefits.”

“Okay,” Vin says. “But you have to promise me, Cammi. Promise me that after we leave here, you’re not going to hate me.”

“I couldn’t hate you even if I tried.” I smile at him. “Now, can we reschedule the Louvre and go back to the apartment instead?”

After Vin pays the check, because he refuses to let me pay for anything, we head back to the apartment. Both of us are quiet. The anticipation of what’s about to happen building within me. I haven’t felt this level of excitement in a long time.

As soon as we’re behind closed doors, I drop my coat to the ground before I reach for the hem of my sweater and lift it over my head. I step backwards towards the bedroom as I leave a trail of clothes behind me.

Vin’s eyes fill with heat, lust, need. He tugs off his coat, letting it hit the floor, as those dark eyes of his roam up and down my body. I lose my bra, right before my shoes fly across the room as I kick them off my feet. Vin growls, audibly growls, as he takes in my bare chest. The back of my knees hit the bed while my fingers undo the button on my jeans and I slide the material down my legs, along with my panties.

Once I’m completely naked, I lie on the bed. Vin stands at the edge of the mattress, staring down at me. “You’re so fucking beautiful, Cammi,” he says.

“Vin, I want you to touch me. Everywhere. I want you to make love to me. I want you to kiss me. I want you to use my body for your own pleasure while giving me mind-blowing orgasms too.” I don’t know how much more explicit I can be in giving him permission.

“Open your legs,” he says. He’s statue still, doesn’t move a muscle.

I spread my legs wide, my knees bent and forming a butterfly shape as my feet almost touch.

“Fuck. You’re drenched. Look how much you’re glistening for me, Cammi.” Vin drops to his knees. “Touch yourself. Show me how you’ve been giving yourself pleasure.”

I bring my fingers to my clit and start slowly rubbing small circles. My eyes close. There’s something erotic about having him watch me touch myself. It feels good, but it’s not what I want. I want him. “Vin, please, I need you to touch me.”

“Where do you want me to touch you, Cammi?” Vin asks.

“Everywhere. I want your hands on me, Vin. I want your mouth on me,” I moan as my fingers continue to explore, pleasure building throughout my body.

Then I feel his hands on my thighs. He’s shaking. My eyes open and connect with his. I want to ask if he’s okay, but then his fingers push my own away and run straight up the middle of my wet folds.

“Oh god.” My head falls back again. And his mouth is on me, kissing up the inside of my thigh.

“Fuck, I’ve missed this,” he says, following his words with a lap of his tongue right up the middle.

“Oh, shit. Yes!” I cry out. My hands twirl into his hair. They’re only there for a moment before Vin grabs both of my wrists and pins them against the bed.

His tongue swirls around my clit. His mouth closes over me, sucking, and I’m gone. It’s been so long since I felt like this. I can’t hold it back as little fireworks go off inside my body.

Vin kisses his way up my torso. When did he take off his pants? I’m not about to stop whatever he’s doing to ask him, though. His mouth latches on to one of my breasts and my back arches off the bed. “Vin, please, I need you,” I tell him. “I need you inside me.”

He looks up and then moves until his cock is pressing at the entrance of my pussy. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” I tell him, my eyes connected with his. And then he slowly enters me. My hands grip his arms. “Yes, yes,” I say again as he bottoms out inside me.

Vin slides out and slams back in again. His cock filling me up and stretching me out. “I love you, so damn much,” he says and then claims my mouth with his.

He continues to slowly slide in and out of me while kissing me gently. His hands caress up and down my body. And I can feel it. His love. I don’t doubt that he loves me. I never have. Which I guess is the reason I hold on to hope that one day we can have this again. For now, I’ll take what I can get.

My legs wrap around Vin’s back, and he adjusts my left leg, hooking his arm under my knee and bending it to my chest. I can feel him deeper in this position. I moan into his mouth while my fingers dig into the skin on his forearms. I can feel myself about to tumble over the edge again. It’s building and so damn close. As soon as I explode, Vin pulls out of me, grabbing his cock and squirting his cum all over my stomach.

“Fuck,” he hisses before falling next to me on the bed.

“Uh-huh,” I mumble, catching my breath.

“That was…” He turns his head to look at me.

“So damn good.” I smile at him. “Give me two minutes and we can do it again.”

“Give me five.” Vin laughs. He looks relaxed, more relaxed than I’ve seen him in a long time. It makes my heart swell with joy, and I can feel the shattered pieces slowly being glued back together.

“I love you too,” I tell him after a few more moments of silence.

“I know,” he says, and I can hear the hint of sadness in his voice.

“This friends with benefits week is going to be amazing.”

“It’s what comes after that scares me,” he whispers.

“It’s us, Vin. It will always be us, whether we have benefits or not.” I roll over to my side. “Now, how about you help me shower, considering you’re the one that made me all dirty?”

“I like you dirty,” Vin smirks. “But a shower sounds good too.”